The University of Miami's Frost School of Music recently announced that its long-serving Dean, Shelton “Shelly” G. Berg, is to step down in Spring 2026. The school has appointed Serona Elton to serve as Interim Vice Dean.

The new role has been created specifically for Elton. She will serve alongside Berg in overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Frost School and help to ensure that it continues to provide an innovative educational experience for students.

As head of the school's Music Industry program, Elton oversaw the creation of several new degree options, including a joint Master of Arts in Music Industry plus Juris Doctor degree, and a new variation of the Bachelor of Arts in Music Industry. 

In 2023, Elton was honored with the first-ever Music Business Educator of the Year Award by the Music Business Association (MusicBiz). 

"I’ve always said that the future of music is the future that our student musicians and aspiring industry professionals will be able to create for themselves, and it’s been a privilege to be able to help Frost School of Music students chart a course for fulfillment and success by giving them access to an outstanding multidisciplinary curriculum, inspirational faculty, and priceless real-world experiences," Berg said. 

"From the day I started at the Frost School, I focused on setting a new standard for music schools and I feel confident that newly named Interim Vice Dean Serona Elton, along with the rest of our talented administrative staff and faculty members, will continue to tirelessly work to benefit the next generation of musicians and music industry professionals while actively shaping the future of music - no matter what it may look like in the coming years."

"I started my tenure at the Frost School of Music shortly before Dean Berg and it’s been an incredible experience to witness his impact on the school and collegiate level music education more broadly," Elton said. "It’s my pleasure to be able to collaborate with him to help ensure the continued effectiveness of the school’s day-to-day operations as we continue to focus on creating the next wave of what we call 'Frost Built' students, who because of their education at the Frost School are uniquely set up to be best-in-class professionals in their fields thanks to the variety of skills they hone here."